This home in Santiago Estates was nearly burned to the ground in the Creek fire above Sylmar. As seen Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017, only a closet, with a few clothes hanging inside, survived. (Photo by John McCoy/Los Angeles Daily News)

The red flag warning that has plagued Southern California for much of the week has been extended to Sunday evening as strong and dry Santa Ana winds continue to hammer the region, fueling wildfires, causing power outages and affecting air quality.

“It’s not unusual to see Santa Ana winds this time of year, but one thing that is unusual is how long this is going to continue,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Ken Clark. “Some areas could see strong winds for the next four or five days, with exceptionally dry conditions and no chance of rain.”

The winds on Thursday were expected to be the strongest, with the National Weather Service calling it a “significant period” for critical fire conditions.

By mid-afternoon, gusts of up to 58 mph were reported in Ventura County valleys, while Los Angeles County saw gusts of 40 mph in the San Fernando Valley and up to 58 mph in some mountain areas.

San Gabriel Valley reported wind gusts of up to 53 mph, while 31 mph winds were reported at Long Beach Airport.

The strongest winds were expected to occur near the Los Angeles and Ventura county line.

The winds were expected to weaken on Friday and Saturday, with gusts of 25 to 35 mph expected. Winds will increase slightly on Sunday up to 45 mph gusts, before dropping off significantly on Monday and Tuesday, according to the NWS.

Deputy Chief Scott McLean of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said the unusually strong gusts create a unique challenge for firefighters.

“It’s like a blow torch,” he said. “It’s not a wall of fire. It’s a torch of fire coming through these areas.”

While October is supposed to start the region’s rainy season, the past two months have been extremely dry, with just .11 inches of rain reported in Downtown Los Angeles since October and no traceable amounts of rain reported at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, Clark said.

The vegetation that grew from the rain last season has now dried and is fueling the string of wildfires, he added.

And, unfortunately, Southern California will see little relief. Weather prospects for the next two weeks show no chance of rain, Clark said.

“At this point it’s safe to say that we will not see any rain next week,” Clark said.

The winds were also creating unhealthy air conditions for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, prompting the South Coast Air Quality and Management District on Thursday to issue a windblown ash and dust advisory.

The ash will likely occur downwind of the burn areas, especially in Burbank and Northeastern Orange County.

“Even when the fires are out we can still experience very unhealthy air quality levels, so we want people to maintain awareness and stay vigilant,” said SCAQMD spokesman Patrick Chandler.

Residents are advised to avoid unnecessary outdoor activity and keep their windows and doors closed.

In Riverside County, the extreme weather prompted Southern California Edison to shut off power to the Idyllwild area on Thursday out of safety concerns in the region.

The power outage was expected to remain in effect until local conditions improve.

The winds created 7-foot swells at Diamond Valley Lake outside Hemet, leading Metropolitan Water District, which manages the lake, to close it on Thursday morning.

As a trio of fires raged in the region, SCE was working to restore power to about 23,000 customers. As of Thursday afternoon, the power losses included 3,900 customers from the Thomas fire in Ventura County, and more than 300 customers from the Rye and Creek fires in Los Angeles County.

Kelly Puente covers courts and criminal justice for the Register. She has worked as a journalist since 2006 covering everything from education to crime and breaking news. Kelly previously worked at the Long Beach Press-Telegram before joining the Register in 2013.